


After Party

by femmelesbian



Category: Kuroshitsuji : The Most Beautiful DEATH in the World - Iwasaki/Mori/Mari, Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Implied Crush, M/M, Mutual Pining, Recreational Drug Use, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-08-07 14:04:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16409852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/femmelesbian/pseuds/femmelesbian
Summary: Eric talks to Alan for the first time in a year at 5am on Ronald's couch.And surprisingly, neither one cries.





	After Party

Alan wakes up on Ronnie's couch, room dimly lit by the lamp, with the overpowering smell of alcohol and cigarettes hitting the back of his throat.

And his head. Oh, fuck him, his  _head_ \- every little thing feels like it's going straight through it and doing it's very best to try to kill him.

This better have been some party.

"How's it going?"

"Ronnie...?" Alan mumbles, glancing at the clock- 5:36.

He laughs, "Not quite, he's passed out somewhere upstairs," He replies, shifting around to face Alan, arms resting on the sofa seat, "You'll just have to make do with me for now."

Oh, Eric. That explains the smell of smoke hanging in the air- they hadn't spoken properly in  _ages_ _,_ but he always remembered Eric for smoking after drinking.

He had a lot of little habits like that, actually. Whether or not everyone did, or if Eric still had them, were both unknown to Alan in some delirious state between both hungover and drunk, and maybe a little high, but finding out the answer isn't important right now.

This is his old friend, come to talk with him after far too long.

His friend who had thought of him while he was hungover and sleeping.

His friend.

Well, hopefully he still thinks of him as a friend. Of course, he couldn't think of why he  _wouldn't,_ considering that he's sat in front of the very sofa Alan passed out on  _long_ after the party ended, and he's probably been sat there for a while, but there's a lot of stuff in his body that probably shouldn't be, and he can't expect himself to think straight.

Alan stretches a little- oh, someone put a blanket over him, that was nice of them... "Pretty good..." He mumbles, "Maybe better if I wasn't hungover as all hell, but..."

Eric laughs quietly, "Yeah, Ronnie knows how to have a good time..." He says, taking a drag, "That guy you were with- didn't get his name- he looked like he had a good time- looked fucking trollied, but he was having fun."

Alan laughs sleepily, unsure of how to reply, but Eric seems to have plenty to say for the both of them, "I missed you, though... I haven't seen you in- what? A year? Bit more?" Alan finds his eyes trying to flutter shut again, and curls back up underneath the blanket. Somewhere through the hash and Hennessy, he somehow manages to hope that Eric won't think he's rude, but he can't help but feel like he's being spoken to sleep, "You want anything? Water? Paracetamol?"

Alan just shakes his head, in that lovely headspace where everything's a little bit hazy and all that's really on his mind is falling asleep, "Hey, you remember Spears?" Eric says softly, tucking Alan in a little.

Alan gives a little laugh, "How could I forget?"

"He got  _hammered_ last night. He has fucking  _gone_."

Alan giggles, "No way."

"I wouldn't lie to you," Eric replies, stubbing out his cigarette in the ashtray, "He's really talkative when he's drunk, actually. Not interesting at all, just talkative."

Alan grins sleepily, "Can't really imagine it."

Eric shakes his head, leaning a little more against the sofa, "I'm rambling, sorry... I just really missed you, and we didn't talk much last night- I'm not saying that to be rude, you had a guy to impress..." Eric speaks like he's talking more to himself than Alan, but it really doesn't matter to him- he's cozy, sleepy and taken care of, and nothing much could take that away. He hears Eric give a tiny sigh, "You made him laugh a lot, you know. Just like when we were still inseparable."

Alan doesn't know if he should comfort him or agree with him, and it's not like he's in a position to think straight, "We're still inseparable," He mumbles in some convoluted drunken wisdom, "We're just apart more often, is all."

Eric gives a little, confused laugh, "Whatever you say," He insists, smiling, "You know, the last time I saw you this far gone was some time last year."

Alan laughs sleepily against his own will, "Oh,  _god_ , don't remind me..."

Eric smiles again, "You had the mother of all hangovers, I swear- had you never drank before?"

Alan yawns, shaking his head.

"That'd be why. You practically just passed out on my bed for nine hours the next morning- I mean, I did my fair share of sleeping, too, but at least I woke up in between that..." Eric recalls fondly, and Alan starts to wonder if Eric even drank anything, but he's too tired to pursue it, "I guess shit happens, though- we've both got better things to do than live in the past. Especially you." He doesn't sound at all bitter, somehow, just incredibly melancholy, like he's been turning this over in his head for weeks, and now he's only just had the chance to say it all.

Alan desperately tries to stay awake, but his eyes are fluttering shut on their own, his body warm, and desperately trying to listen to what Eric's saying, rather than just his voice, because that's  _definitely_ what's sending him to sleep.

"I didn't really say this much at the time," Eric begins, definitely mumbling now, and Alan can't help but feel like he hopes he's one hundred per cent asleep, "But thanks for being there. All of that year, I mean. I know you've got better people to move onto- that's fine, that's how life is- but it really meant a lot to me to not feel so lonely. You really came through for me."

Alan gives a little yawn, "Well, that's what I'm here for," He says, his voice a little hoarse, "Still, I mean. If you ever need someone..."

Eric smiles, "I know. You're still the first person I think of when I need someone, you know." He admits, looking to be much more at ease than he ever normally would be saying something like this, "You just have that kind of impact."

Alan starts playing with Eric's hair without even really thinking about it, "Why didn't you ever call me?" He asks, almost sounding pained, "I would have come. You know I would have come."

Eric sighs, "I don't know, I just kind of assumed you had better things to do."

"Never." Alan says, through a much bigger yawn than the rest, "We've been through thick and thin together, you're the priority."

Eric gives a strange, bittersweet smile, "You need to sleep."

Eric knows Alan well enough to know that he would very rarely be this open in any other state of mind, and although pleasant, he can't help but feel guilty for slightly taking advantage of it.

"Also true," Alan replies, eyelids heavy as he watches Eric stand up, reaching for the door, "Stay..."

Eric looks surprised for a moment, and immediately tries to cover it with a teasing smile,sitting back in front of the sofa, "Really?"

"Yes," Alan replies without a moment's hesitation, already falling asleep, "I miss you."

Eric smiles, "Okay, okay, whatever," He says, trying his best to sound reluctant, "Sleep well."

Alan yawns, pulling the blanket even tighter around him, "I will. Love you."

That takes Eric by surprise yet again, even though it's not anything different from the last time they spoke.

"Love you too."


End file.
